Dietary herb extract rikkunshi-to ameliorates gastroparesis in Parkinson's disease: a pilot study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To perform an open trial on the effects of the extract of the dietary herb Rikkunshi-to (RKT) on gastroparesis in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, using objective parameters given by the (13)C-sodium acetate expiration breath test (gastric emptying study).

METHODS:

Twenty patients with PD were enrolled into this study. Eleven patients were male and 9 were female, with the following characteristics (mean ± SD): age, 69.4 ± 8.17 years; disease duration, 4.34 ± 4.03 years; modified Hoehn and Yahr stage, 2.37 ± 0.98, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part 3 motor score, 16.6 ± 7.37. Fourteen patients came to the clinic due to constipation; 16 patients were taking 288 ± 72 mg/day levodopa/carbidopa, 2 were taking dopamine agonists, and the others were not treated yet. All patients underwent the breath test. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test.

RESULTS:

RKT was well tolerated by all patients and none experienced abdominal pain or other adverse effects, except for its bitter taste. RKT significantly reduced the peak time of the (13)C-dose-excess curve (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

In this pilot trial, we found a significant shortening of the gastric emptying time after administration of the dietary herb extract RKT in PD patients. Further studies examining both gastric emptying and delayed-on in PD are warranted.

• Authors: Hirokazu Doi, Ryuji Sakakibara, Mitsutoshi Sato, Shigekazu Hirai, Tohru Masaka, Masahiko Kishi, Yohei Tsuyusaki, Akihiko Tateno, Fuyuki Tateno, Osamu Takahashi, Tsuyoshi Ogata
• Journal: European neurology (Eur Neurol) Vol. 71 Issue 3-4 Pg. 193-5 ( 2014) ISSN: 1421-9913 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 24457529 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• liu-jun-zi-tang

Topics

• Aged
• Breath Tests
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Gastric Emptying (drug effects)
• Gastroparesis (drug therapy, etiology)
• Humans
• Male
• Parkinson Disease (complications)
• Pilot Projects